NOT LATE THIS TIME!

Yesterday, I went to New Orleans to an appointment for a routine check with the ophthalmologist following my cataract surgery nearly one year ago. Since I don't like driving the Interstate highway system through cities, I planned to drive through the streets of Jefferson Parish, with the rest of the traffic and the stop lights, but as I watched the time, I saw that I would not be on time for my appointment, if I did.

After a quick prayer for nerves of steel and for my sharpest driving skills to kick in, I headed for Interstate-10, which is also congested at times, with traffic moving slowly or not at all, and hoped for the best. The journey was a breeze, and I arrived at the doctor's office with seven minutes......and a whole day to spare.

Yes, when I walked into the office, the receptionist was at her desk, but the rest of the offices were dark. Obviously, THE DOCTOR WAS NOT IN. My appointment was for today. Ah well, nothing to be done, except drive home and drive back in tomorrow (today). As I turned and started to walk out, I thought, "There are other doctors in the group practice, who work from another office. Perhaps one of them would see me." I turned back to ask the receptionist, and she said it was quite possible. With a quick phone call, she arranged for me to see a different doctor at their other office, which was only a short distance away.

Every morning, I pray in "Morning Prayer" not to be overcome by adversity. The thought of returning to New Orleans the next day did not thrill me, and, in fact, seemed to me like a small adversity. I'm not one to give up easily, and the thought which came to mind helped me to overcome. Thank God for "Morning Prayer"...and for planting ideas in listening minds?

All is well with my eyes, except that in a few months, scar tissue which formed in both eyes will have to be zapped, a rather common procedure after cataract surgery, which is done right in the office.

Since I did not have time to eat lunch before I left for my 2:00 PM appointment, I planned to eat an old-fashioned hamburger and fries at Dot's Diner, pictured below. In fact, after I saw the doctor, I could hardly wait, because the time was around 3:30 PM. My mouth watered as I approached the diner.



When I arrived at Dot's, a sign was posted on the door saying that the diner would be closed tomorrow (today) because Disney would be filming there. The cook at Dot's will play the cook in the film. She could not remember the name of the movie, but I found the title, "From the Rough", at the website of New Orleans Office of Film & Video.

Anyway, about the hamburger and fries, "Mmm mmm good!"

Oh, and, "All's well that ends well."

Off topic: Did you know that the phrase above was a proverb before Shakespeare used the words in his play?

"John Heywood included it in A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the Englishe tongue, 1546:

Lovers live by love, ye as larkes live by leekes
Saied this Ales, muche more then halfe in mockage.
Tushe (quoth mine aunte) these lovers in dotage
Thinke the ground beare them not, but wed of corage
They must in all haste, though a leafe of borage
Might by all the substance that they can fell.
Well aunt (quoth Ales) all is well that endes well."